Envoys from Burgundy and England renewed parts of the 1474 Treaty

On 18 December 1478, envoys from Burgundy and England renewed parts of their 1474 Treaty. Diplomatic relations with France, Burgundy and Brittany had been of great importance throughout the Wars of the Roses. In the 1470s alone, Treaties had been agreed upon with each of these continental powers. With Burgundy and Brittany, they were alliances. With France, the Treaty of Picquigny to end the Invasion of France of 1475.

By 1478 the agreement with France was being tested. The French King, Louis XI, was attempting to broker marriage contracts. So too were the Burgundians and King Edward IV of England. It led to tension between the three states, which could have repercussions for England’s economy and potentially require military intervention.

Maximillian and Mary ruled Burgundy by now. They sought the marriage of their son to Princess Elizabeth, eldest daughter of King Edward IV. They offered a sum of 10,000 crowns to Edward to secure a marriage contract.

Edward received an annual pension from the French because of the 1475 campaign, and he would stand to lose out under this deal. At the same time, the French were making overtures regarding Princess Anne. Edward would anger one, or both, of the continental powers no matter what his decision was.

He chose to remain allies with Burgundy. He did not agree to a marriage contract but instead negotiated a renewal of the agreements made in 1474

Featured Image

The wedding of Mary and Maximilian, Relief No.1, The Cenotaph of Emperor Maximilian in Innsbruck. The marriage took place in 1477 and impacted on Burgundian diplomatic policy. Photograph by Mirliton2018 and available via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Sourced from wikimedia.